Combined coupling and bearing.



No. 854,715. y. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

l J. G. CALLAN & R. H. RICE.

COMBINED GOUPLING AND BEARING. APPLICATION FILED 00T. ze. 1905.

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Richard H. pi@y John G5. Callan @MM Nrrjnn s'rarns rarnnr ortica;

JOHN G. CALLAN, OF LYNN, AND RICHARD H. RICE, OF SWAMPSCOTT,

CHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO TION OF NEW YORK.

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORA- CONBlNED COUPLING.' AND lBEARiiNlC-l Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October-26,1905. Serial No. 284,510.

Patented Mayl 28, 1907.

States, residing at Lynn., county of Essex,

State of Massachusetts, and Swampscott, county of Essex, State ofMassachusetts, respectively, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Combined Couplings and Bearings, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to shaft couplings, and its object is to rovide acombined bearing and coupling W 'ch will allow some play to the parts sothat the device partakes to a certain extent of the nature of auniversal joint.

The invention is capable of general use, but it has been especiallydesigned for coupling the shaft of a horizontal steam turbine to .thearmature 'shaft of an electric generator.

It consists inpart of a sleevehaving a polygonal interior to receive andcou ile the abutting ends of the two shafts W ich are provided withpolygonal portions to fit loosely in said sleeve. Resilient elements,such as fiat y sprin s, are interposed between the faces of e s eeve andthe shafts. The exterior of the sleeve is cylindrical, so that it canrevolve in a babbitt-lined bearing, which preferably has externalspherical supporting surfaces in order to give it freedom of movement inthe pedestal.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and Fig.2 a cross section 0n the line 2-2, Fi 1, of a combined coupling andbearingem odying our invention. Figs. '3 and 4 show modifications.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the two shafts 1, 2, are placedsubstantially in line, each havin a olygonal portion 3 and preferably acyinriiical tip 4. The two tips fit easily into a central reducedportion 5, of the sleeve 6, but do not uite abut, being revented from sodoing y shoulders 7 at the ends of the portion 5 which engage with theinner ends of the poly onal portions of the shafts. From the shou ders 7to its ends, the interior of the sleeve is polygonal, fitting thesimilar portions of the shafts with considerableplay. Yielding means arerovided for taking up this play preferably at s rings 8, insertedbetween the faces of the s aft and the sleeve. These tend to center theshafts in the sleeve, but permit them to yield laterally in everydirection to a certain limited extent: the construction constituting in'effect a universal joint.

The exterior of the sleeve is cylindrical so that it can rotate in abrass 9, made in halves and lined with babbitt 10. On each half is aspherical enlargement 1 1 which is receivedin a spherical socket in thefixed pedestal or other support 12. This ball-and-socket bearing, inconnection with the play of the shafts and the sleeve, affords erfectflexibility of yInovement for the two s afts within suiiicient lim- `itsfor all practical purposes. 1

Fig. 3 jshows a slight modification, in which the central reducedportion 5 of the sleeve is omitted, the ends of the shafts beingsurrounded by bushings 13. The sleeve is made in two parts, meeting on atransverse plane substantially coincident with the space between theadjacent ends of the two shafts. Each part has a circumferential iiange14, and the two flanges are fastened together by a union 15 which isscrew-threaded interinally to engage screw threads on the iiange on onepart, and has a flange 16 to engage with the flange on the other part.The brass 17 has an internal circumferential groove 18 to ermit theflanged sleeve to revolve.

Eig. 4 shows a similar structure in which the flanges 14 are fastenedtogether by tapered bolts 19 in place ofthe union 15.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is,-

1. A combined shaft-coupling and bearing, comprising a sleeve having apolygonal interior and cylindrical exterior, shafts having polygonalportions fittingV loosely in said sleeve, and yielding means for takingup the play between said parts. v

2. A combined shaft-coupling and bearing, comprising a sleeve havinga'polygonal interior and cylindrical exterior, shafts having polygonalortions fitting loosely in said sleeve, and yie ding means for taking upthe play between said parts, comprising flat springs interposed betweenthe faces of said parts.

3. A combined-shaft-couplin'g and bearing, comprising a sleeve having apolygonal interior and cylindrical exterior, shafts hav- IOO ingpolygonal. portions fitting loosely in said sleeve, yleldng means fortaking up the play between said parts, and a brass in which said sleevecan rotate.

4. A combined slhaft f coupling anld bear in co prisin .a s eeve havingAa po Agona f'irrioilpafnd cyglifidric'al exterior', sha'tys havingpolygonal portions iitting loosely in said sleeve, yielding means fortaking up the play between said parts, and a brass in which said ysleeve can rotate, said brass having a ball and-socket bearing.

5. The combination with two shafts havin' polygonal portions, of asleeve having a po ygonal interior and a cylindrical exterior andcomposed of two parts having abutting flanges intermediate of saidcylindrical portion, means'for fastening said flanges to gether, and abrass extending on each side of said anges. 1

6. The combination with two shafts havf; in polygonal portions, of asleeve having a. po ygonal interior and acylindrical exterior andcomposed of two parts having abutting anges, means for fastening saidflanges tof gether, and a -brass having a cylindrical interior and aninternal circumferential groove'.

In witness whereof, we have hereuntoset our hands this twenty-first dayof October, 1905.

JOHN G. CALLAN. RICHARD H. RICE.'

Witnesses:

JOHN A. MOMANUS, Jr., ALEXANDER M. GILBERT.

